Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus

This article is about the original containment. For the new containment in place since 2016, see Chernobyl New Safe Confinement.

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Sarcophagus
Ukrainian: Укриття Чорнобильської АЕС
The sarcophagus in 2006. The tall chimney is an original part of the reactor building.
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus is located in Ukraine
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus
Location in Ukraine
Alternative namesChernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Shelter Structure
General information
StatusDeteriorated; succeeded by Chernobyl New Safe Confinement
TypeConfinement shelter
LocationCovering Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, near Pripyat
CountryUkraine
Coordinates51°23′23″N 30°05′56″E / 51.3896°N 30.0990°E / 51.3896; 30.0990
Construction startedJune 1986
CompletedNovember 1986
DemolishedNot to be demolished

The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus or Shelter Structure (Ukrainian: Об'єкт "Укриття") is a massive steel and concrete structure covering the nuclear reactor number 4 building of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The sarcophagus resides inside the New Safe Confinement structure. The New Safe Confinement is designed to protect the environment while the sarcophagus undergoes demolition and the nuclear cleanup continues. The sarcophagus was designed to limit radioactive contamination of the environment following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, by encasing the most dangerous area and protecting it from climate exposure.[1][2] It is located within a large restricted area known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

The original Russian name is Объект "Укрытие" (Obyekt Ukrytiye),[3] which means sheltering or covering, as opposed to sarcophagus.[2]

The sarcophagus locked in 200 tons of radioactive lava-like corium, 30 tons of highly contaminated dust and 16 tons of uranium and plutonium.[1]

By 1996, the structure had deteriorated to the point where numerous stabilization measures were required. Internal radiation levels were estimated to be as high as 10000 röntgens per hour in certain areas (normal background radiation in cities is usually around 20–50 microröntgens per hour, and a lethal dose is 500 röntgens over 5 hours).[4] The sarcophagus was entirely covered with the New Safe Confinement, construction of which was completed in 2017.

  1. ^ a b "Chernobyl Sarcophagus". Chernobyl International. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Ebel p. 1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Code name given under the Soviet secrecy procedures.
  4. ^ Marples 1996, p. 30.